DEFRA

Scotch Whisky faces the highest tax rate in any G7 country, and will now rise further.

English ‘single malt’ whisky - and why it could ‘undermine’ Scotch

Jeremy Clarkson speaks with the media in central London ahead of the farmer's protest over the changes to inheritance tax rules

‘Kill farming’ tax accusation as Starmer quizzed on Clarkson claims

Former Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross warned more protests could follow.

Farmer protests over tax ‘could just be the start’

The Labour government has been accused by the rural sector of being ‘out of touch’ with farming given its latest decision on farm taxes

'Shameful betrayal': The 31-strong letter condemning farm tax change

A petition launched to urge Rachel Reeves to U-turn on farming tax changes has reached almost 100,000 signatures

Why the UK Budget delivers ‘further harm’ to farming communities

Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon.

Senior SNP minister says UK counterpart ignored her for seven months

Asian hornets are smaller than native hornets, but deadly to our bees and other pollinators (Photo: Wildlife and Countryside Link/PA Wire)

Killer insects invade UK

XL Bullies will be banned from Februrary 2024.

XL Bully Ban: Everything you need to know as ban comes into place

David Duguid is calling for concessions to be made for both sectors.

MP calls for concessions to be made for fishing and seafood processing on new vi...

Brucella canis can spread from dogs to humans in rare cases (NationalWorld/Adobe Stock)

Explainer Three people in UK test positive for bacterial disease spreading in dogs

Asian hornets have been spotted near Dover in Kent

Government issues urgent warning after ‘killer’ Asian hornets spotted

SNP has accused the UK Government's environment secretary for "snubbing" Scotland's rural sector after rejecting invites to give evidence at Holyrood (pic: Sandra Angers Blondin)

SNP slams UK Government for 'snubbing' rural sector - but can it talk?

Ticks can sometimes be very small and hard to spot

Tick-borne condition 'likely' to be present in UK after case confirmed

The existing Denholm Seafoods processing facility will be refurbished

New processing facility for Denholm Seafoods will deliver net benefits

Secretary of State for Scotland Alister Jack arrives in Downing Street, London.

Deposit Return Scheme: Row over key legal exemption for scheme rumbles on

Harmful algae bloom is a phenomenon put down to climate change.

Six-figure training scheme will help seafood firms tackle harmful algae bloom

The UK is still “a long way” from being in a situation where bird flu could infect humans and spread in a similar way to Covid-19, an expert from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (Apha) has said.

Avian flu: UK a ‘long way’ from seeing Covid-19-like infection in humans

The DEFRA team at Peterhead

DEFRA delegates meet with SSA on insight seafood processors tour

Ken Cox is Managing Director of Glendoick Garden Centre and Nursery

Everything in the garden centre is not rosy - Ken Cox

Farming: Seasonal workers scheme needed in horticulture sector

Is going vegan the best way to save the environment? (Getty Images)

Is going vegan better for the environment?

Professor Jane Langdale of Oxford University

Farming: Precision breeding techniques are still on the agenda

Farmers watch the Tory leadership circus with mounting unease - Andrew Arbuckle

The council have cleared hundreds of dead seabirds over the last few days.

Leave the collection of dead seabirds to us, urges Aberdeenshire Council

The council's Landscape Services staff are continuing to remove dead seabirds suspected of carrying Avian Influenza from our shorelines.

Challenging time as Avian Influenza clean-up continues in Aberdeenshire

Farming: Security summit faces national and global food threat

Visitors and locals are urged to follow safety advice while visiting the region's coastline.

Suspected new cases of Avian Influenza in Aberdeenshire

Fertliser prices remain high

Farming: Sector’s agflation costs are dwarfing inflation

Unequal trade in seed potatoes

Farming: Scotland’s seed potato growers paying high economic price

NFU Scotland’s Environmental Resources Policy Manager Sarah Cowie.

Farming: Deadline looms for pesticide use registration

A vet checks the information contained on a dog's microchip.

Keeping your adorable dog safe though maintained microchipping

Defra launch Lump Sum Exit scheme

NFU vice president David Exwood

Farmers resent new checks on crop chemicals

World events push UK ‘agflation' to nearly 30 per cent

Tim Rycroft, AHDB chief exec

New agriculture development board attracts 11,000 levy payers

Bird flu cases hit record numbers

Vote promised on farm levies

‘Scotch premium’ for beef takes hit in processing sector

Robin Traquair.

Emergency summit called in mounting pig sector crisis

Sarah Cowie,of NFUS

Plastic tax on silage wrap adds to farming costs

Defra must listen to ballot results

Farming: Sheep prices stay well above average as demand rises
Despite a slight “softening” of sheep prices at Scottish marts in the first weeks of the New Year, prices still stand well above the five-year average – and the...

‘Phenomenal level’ of bird flu in UK, chief vet says after thousands culled.

‘Phenomenal level’ of bird flu in UK, chief vet says after thousands culled

Bird flu outbreak in Scotland

Lamb exports allowed to US

Defra opens farming investment fund

Good day at the auction market

All sectors of the farming industry are being asked to plan further ahead.

Warning that 'just in time' supply chain won’t come up with the goods

Grace Emeny of AHDB

Data will play key role in use of new farming biopesticides

U-turn over visas for butchers?

Minette Batters

Call to delay farming cuts over food supply chain crisis

Scottish environment minister, Màiri McAllan

Disappointment at Defra's 'unilateral' move on gene editing

Nicola Spence

Plant biosecurity climbs agenda in disease and pest control

Three people, who arrived with a police escort, surround Geronimo the Alpaca at Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire, before the animal was taken away on a trailer to an undisclosed location (Photo: Claire Hayhurst).

Geronimo the Alpaca killed

The potato sector relies heavily on scientific services

Farming: Straight answers are in short supply for potato growers

Fears for the future of butchery sector

The Scotsman Top Stories

Scotland has failed to meet its latest target for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the latest official figures show. Picture: John Giles/PA Wire

Fail: Scotland misses climate target

Pro-independence protesters with Scottish Saltire flags (top) march for Scottish independence. Picture: Andy Buchanan/AFP via Getty Images

Yousaf: Growing popular support for Yes the only way to Scottish independence

Nadine Dorries. Picture: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

SNP MP cleared of bullying Nadine Dorries